Assistant Professor in Media Production and Its Contexts

The School of Communication and Culture at Aarhus University invites applications for the position of assistant professor in media production and its contexts based at the Department of Media and Journalism Studies.

The assistant professorship is a full-time, three-year fixed-term position and begins on 1 June 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter.

The School of Communication and Culture is committed to diversity and encourages all qualified applicants to apply regardless of their personal background.

The position

Media production processes have advanced significantly over recent decades and continue to develop, influenced by societal challenges such as misinformation, climate change, artificial intelligence, war, and conflict, as well as shifts in media consumption habits. As a result, there is a persistent and urgent need to understand both the broader contexts and specific production processes within areas such as journalism, audiovisual fiction, entertainment, and promotional (social) media content. This call invites applicants who can, in a critical and innovative manner, prepare media and journalism students for a rapidly evolving job market and produce high-quality research that aids society in understanding how media content is created and disseminated, along with its implications.

Against this backdrop, we seek an applicant who can demonstrate research and teaching interests and experience, as well as competencies in analysing media production within its economic and/or cultural-political contexts, in one or more of the following areas or frameworks:

• production studies
• studies of journalism practices
• media systems analysis (e.g. in relation to Denmark and other relevant regions such as the European Union)
• studies of media institutions (e.g. non-profit, commercial or public).

In sum, we are looking for an innovative and dedicated applicant who will strengthen the department’s research and teaching profiles nationally and internationally, and who will contribute to Aarhus University’s core activities in research, teaching and supervision, talent development and knowledge exchange.

The full-time position is located at the Department of Media and Journalism Studies and is evenly divided between research and teaching. In the assessment, equal weight will therefore be given to applicants’ ability to document relevant research and teaching experience, results and plans.

Research environment

The Department of Media and Journalism Studies at Aarhus University has a notable international presence and robust research networks. Research and teaching at the department focus on both Danish and international media, with an emphasis on the interaction between core areas of study: media institutions, media production, media texts and media use/reception, as well as the role of media and journalism in culture and society. Researchers at the department employ a variety of methodologies and theoretical perspectives, including institutional, organisational, sociological and political approaches, along with textual and aesthetic analysis, production contexts, media use and media history. Information about the department’s research can be found on the websites of the various research centres and programmes.

The successful applicant will be expected to:

• contribute to the development of research on media production at the department 
• contribute to research initiatives and the research community at the department through new collaborative research projects with internal and external partners and in connection with external research funding
• publish original peer-reviewed research internationally and make scholarly contributions to developments within the field.

The successful applicant will also be expected to develop research projects that lead to academic publications and to engage with the department’s research community through collaborative projects with internal and external partners, as well as applying for external research funding.

Teaching and supervision

The successful applicant is expected to participate in teaching, supervision and the development of the department’s degree programmes. The school and department emphasise research-based teaching and preparing students for changing job markets in Denmark and internationally. Applicants must demonstrate the ability to teach at least two of the courses listed below. Applicants should indicate in their application which of the listed courses they are able to teach and how their research interests align with the topics and learning objectives of the course(s), including their ideas for innovative teaching and course development:

BA Media Studies: Media Systems Analysis I and II
Supplementary Film and Media: Film and Media History and Theory (I and II)
MA Media Studies: Audiovisual Media Production: Style and Narration, Production Culture and Practice
Cand. Public Journalism: Media, Politics & Society and Journalism’s Possibilities and Challenges
Erasmus Mundus Journalism, Media & Globalisation: Introduction to Journalism Studies, Methods of Researching Journalism

Given the different national and international foci of the degree programmes, the successful applicant will be expected to teach in both Danish and English.

The successful applicant must complete Aarhus University’s teacher-training programme for assistant professors, which is designed for university teaching.

Knowledge exchange

The successful applicant will be expected to engage in knowledge exchange, for instance through research collaboration with private companies, government consultancy, collaboration with civil society and the public dissemination of knowledge.

The successful applicant will have excellent opportunities to take part in collaborative initiatives with partners both inside and outside Aarhus University.

Qualifications

Applicants must hold a PhD or demonstrate equivalent qualifications in a field related to media production, including its economic and/or cultural-political contexts, and must possess teaching and research experience comparable to that gained through a PhD. Applicants must be able to document, relevant to the position:

• an internationally focused research profile related to media production and its economic and/or cultural-political contexts within media studies or related disciplines, as evidenced by a PhD dissertation and/or significant research publications appropriate to the applicant’s academic career length
• relevant teaching experience at university level, including reflections on innovative teaching methods, as well as a teaching portfolio (or equivalent documentation of teaching experience and qualifications).

Furthermore, it will be considered an advantage if applicants can document:

• experience in collaborative teaching, team teaching and/or teaching multicultural classes
• collaboration with stakeholders from media industries, policymakers or the broader civil society
• experience of participating in national and international research networks
• time spent abroad working at one or more internationally recognised research institutions.

Finally, applicants are asked to submit a research plan for the next three years, along with a strategy or vision for contributing to future developments within the field. This should include plans for publication, funding applications and collaborations with external partners.

Please note that although the application process can be completed on the Aarhus University system without uploading publications or a teaching portfolio, applications that do not include uploaded publications (maximum two) and a teaching portfolio (or equivalent documentation of teaching experience and qualifications) will not be considered.

Although the Aarhus University application system offers an option to upload letters of recommendation, applicants are asked not to include letters of recommendation or references with the application. Applicants invited to an interview may be asked to provide references.

Please consult the Guidelines for Applicants for Academic Positions at the Faculty of Arts, Aarhus University.

Work environment

Active participation in the daily life of the department is a high priority, and we emphasise the importance of good working relationships, both among colleagues and with our students. To maintain and develop the department’s excellent teaching and research environment, the successful applicant is expected to be present at the department on a daily basis.

We respect the balance between work and private life and strive to create a work environment in which that balance can be maintained. You can read more about family and work-life balance in Denmark.

International applicants

International applicants are encouraged to read about the attractive working conditions and other benefits of working at Aarhus University and in Denmark, including healthcare, paid holidays and, if relevant, maternity/paternity leave, childcare and schooling. Aarhus University offers a wide variety of services for international researchers and accompanying families, including a relocation service and an AU Expat Partner Programme. You can also find information about the taxation aspects of international researchers’ employment by AU.

An appointee who does not speak Danish must acquire sufficient proficiency in Danish to perform tasks, including administrative and managerial duties, and to participate fully in the activities of the School of Communication and Culture within approximately three years of commencing the appointment. These tasks include, but are not limited to, reading work-related texts and taking part in meetings and collegial gatherings in Danish.

The department

The place of employment is the Department of Media and Journalism Studies, Helsingforsgade 14, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark.

Prospective applicants are invited to view the department’s website.

School of Communication and Culture

The school is part of the Faculty of Arts. You will find information about the school and its research programmes, departments and diverse activities on its website.

Contact

For further information about the position, please contact Head of Department Kirsten Frandsen by telephone on +45 41628305 or by email at imvkf@cc.au.dk.

If you need help uploading your application or have questions about the recruitment process, please contact Arts HR support by email: hsi@au.dk.

• Faculty of Arts refers to the Ministerial Order on the Appointment of Academic Staff at Danish Universities (the Appointment Order).
• Appointment shall be in accordance with the collective labour agreement between the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations.
• Further information on qualification requirements and job content may be found in the Memorandum on Job Structure for Academic Staff at Danish Universities .
• Further information on the application and supplementary materials may be found in Application Guidelines.
• The application must outline the applicant's motivation for applying for the position, attaching a curriculum vitae, a teaching portfolio, a complete list of published works, a research plan, copies of degree certificates and examples of academic production (mandatory, but no more than two examples). Please upload this material electronically along with your application.

Faculty of Arts

The Faculty of Arts consists of the School of Communication and Culture, the School of Culture and Society, the Danish School of Education, and the Centre for Teaching Development and Digital Media. Each of these units has strong academic environments and forms the basis for interdisciplinary research and education.

The faculty's academic environments and degree programmes engage in international collaboration and share the common goal of contributing to the development of knowledge, welfare and culture in interaction with society.

Read more at arts.au.dk/en

The application must be submitted via Aarhus University’s recruitment system, which can be accessed under the job advertisement on Aarhus University's website.

Aarhus University

Aarhus University is an academically diverse and research-intensive university with a strong commitment to high-quality research and education and the development of society nationally and globally. The university offers an inspiring research and teaching environment to its 38,000 students (FTEs) and 8,300 employees, and has an annual revenues of EUR 935 million. Learn more at www.international.au.dk/